Conventional methods for generating service usage information exist. For example, for the purpose of providing telecommunication services, particularly using mobile communication networks, service usage information is generated that is used, in particular, for the transfer and/or exchange between different telecommunication networks or their operators. For example, in the event that a mobile telecommunication transmission device requests a telecommunication service from a telecommunication network, particularly a mobile telecommunication network, that is not its home telecommunication network—for example when there is a lack of availability or network coverage from the home telecommunication network or if the telecommunication transmission device is abroad (in relation to its home telecommunication network—service user information is produced by the telecommunication network and provided to be forwarded on to the home telecommunication network of the telecommunication transmission device, particularly for the purpose of billing.
So-called TAP (Transferred Account Procedure) files are used which, alongside a portion relating to service user information, also comprise charging information.
In particular, this charging information comprises information relating to the type of requested telecommunication service (for example, whether it concerns an international or a national call) and also information as to how high the costs are for the telecommunication service or with which discounts or volume agreements calculations are to be made.
The generation of the charging information involves network elements of the telecommunication network that do not provide the telecommunication service to the telecommunication transmission device but simply determine and collect correct charging data.
The effort involved in producing conventional service usage information has proved to be enormous, which means correspondingly high costs, in particular because different formats of the TAP files concerned are used and must be converted accordingly, in particular between the operators of different telecommunication networks. This means, for example, that, between the operator of a first telecommunication network and the operator of a second telecommunication network, the TAP data formats are converted to the operator's own format that is used in each case.
In addition, it is usually the case that the conventional generation of the service usage information takes place with a relatively large delay, i.e. several days can pass between, on the one hand, the time the telecommunication service is used by the telecommunication transmission device or the telecommunication service is provided by the telecommunication network and, on the other hand, the time the service usage information is compiled in the form that was customary hitherto.